Sep 9, 2020CHSAA SMAC’s Recommendations on Air Quality
Wildfires have been dominating the west coast of the country in recent weeks. As firefighters battle to quell the blazes, the after-effects of poor air quality have begun to trickle down to the high school sports level.
The Colorado High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) released information from the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee for athletic trainers about the quality of air — or lack thereof — across the state.
Below is an excerpt from the CHSAA’s release.
ATTENTION ATHLETIC TRAINERS
As you may be aware, our state is currently experiencing wildfires in various locations throughout the state. As a result, the quality of air throughout our state, and in the affected areas specifically, has been impacted. We urge you to visit the SMAC Handbook and Air Quality section of the Sports Medicine page on CHSAANow for helpful information.
As referenced from the CHSAA Sports Medicine Handbook:
AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI)
The AQI is an index for reporting daily readings of our atmosphere. It tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you.
MANAGEMENT
- Distance runners should avoid running next to busy roadways.
- Ozone exposure can be lessened by early morning workouts.
- Athletes with asthma must be carefully monitored when AQI is above 100.
- Athletes with asthma should always have a rescue inhaler readily available.
- Practices, contests, and outdoor activities should be modified or moved indoors when AQI is above 100, and consideration given to rescheduling or moving them when AQI is greater than 200.
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In order to quickly assess the daily AQI in your area, please refer to this website here.
Other resources for relatable information:
- Colorado Wildfire Information
- Colorado Smoke Outlook
- Colorado Air Quality Summary/Air Quality Advisories
- Front Range Action Day for Multiple Pollutants
- CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division – Facebook
- CDPHE Air Pollution – Twitter
To read the full CHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Handbook, click here.
